


this is the voice that i was given and if you don't like it take a long walk

by KayCeeCruz



Series: Love's Tender Refrain [8]
Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-28
Updated: 2011-11-28
Packaged: 2017-10-26 15:25:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/284840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayCeeCruz/pseuds/KayCeeCruz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Excerpts of Brian and Justin's life.</p><p>This is a ten part series inspired by this meme I saw floating around. The gist of it was: put your iTunes on shuffle, and write a drabble based on each of the first ten songs that play. Don’t linger when the song is over, this is an exercise. Though this series ranges in length from drabblish to ficlet to not so ficlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	this is the voice that i was given and if you don't like it take a long walk

_This is the voice that I was given and if you don't like it take a long walk.  
(Black Mamba - The Academy Is...)_

 

8.

 

Sometimes he wondered if anyone really saw Justin or if when they looked at him, all they ever saw was the seventeen year old boy that burst into their world.

Brian knew that sometimes they didn’t see him for who he was either.

He never let it bother him. Who he was had nothing to do with anyone else.

Except for maybe Justin.

But he knew their family, and pre-conceptions ran rampant in their little circle even to this day.

So, when Justin stayed, the whispers started, that he was giving in to Brian again. That he was probably ruining his life. That he would leave everything in shambles again. They would stop talking when Brian and Justin would walk into the room.

Brian ignored them, kissing Justin’s scowling face to get him to stop caring. It never really worked.

He gave them credit. It wasn’t that they weren’t happy. They were afraid Justin would change his mind and hurt them all, especially Brian. They would never say it but it was written on their faces. Emmett seemed to be the only one that accepted it without question.

It went on that way for a few months until the second week of February, when having dinner, Michael had asked Justin what he had gotten for the dreaded day that fell of the fourteenth.

Brian sipped his wine, eyeing Justin as he shrugged. “Nothing. Why?”

Michael had seemed stunned and Brian would have laughed if he didn’t already know what was coming. Slightly accusing eyes turned his way and Brian rolled his own in response. “Mikey. Please.”

“Come on, Brian. He’s giving up his career for you, the least you can do is the bend the rules a little and get him something.” It was said in a half-joking manner but the words still carried weight.

If Michael actually meant it maliciously, it might have bothered Brian, but he knew Michael loved them both and only wanted them to be happy. Knew that he was afraid Brian might lose Justin for good.

Brian also knew that had not been the right thing to say.

Justin’s fork clattered onto his plate and he leaned back, arms crossed, looking around the room. “Listen to me. I’m only going to say this _once_. I am not giving up _anything_. I can paint anywhere in the world and I choose here because my life - Brian, you guys, my family - is here. So, enough with the sad little looks at me like I’m missing out on something. I’m not.”

There was a silence now and everyone stared at Justin as he continued to speak.

“Secondly, I am no longer a child, guys. I’ve been a big boy for a long time. So, stop acting like Brian is still this ridiculous hopeless fantasy and start getting it into your heads that he is my partner. For life. It‘s a done deal.”

Emmett was grinning at them and Ted nodded his head in agreement, raising his glass.

Brian almost laughed at them.

Justin’s glare paused on everyone there, stopping on Mel, whose earlier comment about Brian’s ability to commit - or lack thereof according to her - had pissed him off. “As for my relationship with Brian -- I’m not some insecure child who needs to have Brian’s love reinforced to me on some meaningless holiday. It’s ridiculous in my opinion. He shows me every day he loves me.” He glanced over at Brian and smiled a little before turning back. “Besides he bought me a car last week so he could save face on the actual day. “

Brian sighed, and bent his head, catching Emmett’s exchange of money with Ted. He could hear Ben and Hunter laughing further down the table.

Bastards.

“So, I don’t want to hear one more damn thing about it. Got it?”

There was a muttered agreement and when he was satisfied that they all meant it, Justin returned to his meal and the conversation he had been having with Tucker.

Brian shook his head, grinning, taking his own fork and digging into the rest of his meal.

Sometimes he really fucking loved that kid.

 

###

 

When they got home later that evening and had settled in, Justin took off to his own studio, needing some room to breath after the evening. Entering his little sanctuary, his eyes fell immediately to the vase full of flowers that sat on his antique desk.

He grinned when he reached them, letting out a little laugh.

Golden Gardenias.

Sometimes he really fucking loved that asshole.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback loved and appreciated. Leave here or at [LJ](http://freakykat.livejournal.com/155405.html?mode=reply#add_comment)


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